Harry Potter And the Daughter of The Dark Lord
by Angel of Hell99
Summary: What if the Dark Lord had children with a woman who he had captured and raped? Well here is my story on that question. Join the golden trio as they make a new friend named Raven Pyro as well as getting two new teachers in Remus Lupin and Kyle Pyro. Rated M for later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello my readers and followers, to all those who read my fanfics just know that I'm having a really hard time writing as I'm going through a lot of things like depression and having to plan a wedding. I'll update all my stories when I can just know I'm doing my best to write more. Here is another Harry Potter fanfic that I wrote a year or two ago. It's not finished yet but I want to give you guys something new to read.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or anyone in the world of Harry Potter. I only own my characters Raven and Kyle Pyro as well as Raven's Phoenix which I haven't named yet but if anyone thinks of a name let me know.**

 **Thank you all for reading!**

 _ **Harry Potter And**_ _ **the**_ __ _ **Daughter of**_ __ _ **The Dark Lord**_

Written by: _Angel of Hell99_

The Hogwarts Express, a gleaming scarlet steam engine, was already there, clouds of steam billowing from it, through which the many Hogwarts students and parents on the platform appeared like dark ghosts. A girl appeared with a man, who had short black hair and dark blue eyes. He was wearing a pair of black jeans and a red button up shirt. He also had a pair of black tennis shoes. The girl had long black hair down to her knees. She had on the traditional uniform for Hogwarts students. On her shoulder was a beautiful red and gold phoenix with eyes as black as coal. No-one could see her eyes because she was wearing sunglasses. "Brother, I don't want to go to a new school." said the young girl as she looked at everyone suspiciously.

"I'm sorry Raven there is nothing I can do. We had to move to Britain and live with our godfather or let our father find us." said Raven's older brother as he started pulling his and Raven's suitcases towards the train.

"Um, brother you can use magic and your 18 years old." Raven said as she notice a group of red heads and a girl with slightly bushy brown hair and a boy with messy black hair that stood up at odd angles, he had emerald green eyes. They were walking towards the train also. When Raven heard them talking she turned and saw a boy with platinum blonde hair was staring at her.

The platinum blonde boy had grayish blue eyes and a well-toned body but he did nothing to impress Raven, she found out the hard way that most boys or men with blonde hair have a tendency to be arrogant and egotistical.

Raven wanting to get rid of the unwanted attention, she took off her sunglasses to reveal reddish gold eyes. Everyone who had been staring at her gasped in surprise. The group who had just came looked up to see what was going on.

(Harry Potter's P.O.V.)

When everyone around me, Hermione, and the Weasleys suddenly gasped in surprise. All of us stopped talking and looked up. All of a sudden my heart started beating faster and my hands went all sweaty. There in front of the train stood a woman with long black hair and reddish gold eyes. Her face was heart shaped with a small nose and pouted lips painted blood red.

She already had on the school uniform; she also had knee high boots on that were black. She wore a choker with a cross that had four red rubies on it and a black onyx stone in the middle. Then I saw a phoenix on her right shoulder. Then all of a sudden I realized that she was glaring at Draco, who was walking up to her with a smirk on his face. I suddenly realized that I wanted to hex him and pull the girl into my arms and see her smile.

Then I saw the man next to her grabbed her by the arm and pulled her behind him, but just as fast he pulled out his wand. Draco was about to do the same when reporters started to come on to the platform. The girl and the man ran towards the train as the reporters saw them. Then Mr. and Mrs. Weasley started to push us towards the train before it left.

(End POV/ 3rd person's p.o.v.)

Steam was billowing from the train; it had started to move. Harry ran to the compartment door and Ron threw it open and stood back to let him on. They leaned out of the window and waved at Mrs. Weasley as the train left the station. Harry, Ron, and Hermione walked down the train looking for an empty compartment, but all were full except for the one at the very end of the train.

This had only three occupants, a man sitting fast asleep next to the window, and the other two were sitting next to the sleeping man with their hoods up covering their faces, the only thing they could tell was that one was a girl and the other was a boy. Harry, Ron, and Hermione checked on the threshold. The Hogwarts Express was usually reserved for students and they had never seen an adult there before, except for the witch who pushed the food cart.

The sleeping man was wearing an extremely shabby set of wizard's robes that had been torn in several places. He looked ill and exhausted. Though quite young, his light brown hair was flecked with gray.

"Who d' you reckon they are?" Ron whispered as they sat down and slid the door shut, taking the seats across from the three strangers.

"Well, the one asleep is Professor R. J. Lupin," whispered Hermione at once.

"How d' you know that?"

"It's on his case," she replied, pointing at the luggage rack over the man's head, where there was a small, battered case held together with a large quantity of neatly knotted string. The name Professor R. J. Lupin was stamped across one corner in peeling letters.

"Wonder what he teaches?" said Ron, frowning at Professor Lupin's pallid profile.

"That's obvious," whisper Hermione. "There's only one vacancy, isn't there? Defense Against the Dark Arts." Harry, Ron, and Hermione had already two Defense Against the Dark Arts teachers, both of them had lasted only one year. There were rumors that the job was jinxed.

"Well, I hope he's up to it," said Ron doubtfully. "He looks like one good hex would finish him off, doesn't he? Anyway..." He turned to Harry. "What were you going to tell us?"

"Not here ok, we'll find an empty classroom and talk there." said Harry looking at the other two strangers in the compartment.

"Ok, Harry, but as soon as the feast is over." said Hermione then she looked at the two other strangers that seem to be having a hushed argument in what she could understand it was Japanese, but she could not understand a word they were saying. She was about to say something to Harry and Ron when a burst of fire appeared in the middle of the compartment, when the flames faded they saw a beautiful red and gold phoenix with eyes as black as coal. The phoenix went towards the girl who seemed happy to see it return, but as she got up her hood came off and Harry, Ron, & Hermione saw long black hair down to the girl's knees when she looked up at them, they saw surprise in her reddish gold eyes, but before anyone could say anything Crookshanks got out of his basket and tried to attack the phoenix.

"Crookshanks..." said Hermione in surprise as she, Harry, and Ron try to grab him but it wasn't them that stopped the cat it was the girl, who held out her hand and with a bright blue light froze the attacking Crookshanks in midair. When Hermione snapped out of her shock she quickly grabbed her cat and with some help from the strange girl transfigure Crookshanks's basket into a cage, and Hermione put him in the cage before the spell wore off. That's when Harry and Ron snapped out of their shock but by that time the girl was sitting down with her hood back up. The rest of the time was surrounded by silence. At one o'clock, the plump witch with the food cart arrived at the compartment door. "D'you think we should wake him up?" Ron asked awkwardly, nodding toward Professor Lupin. "He looks like he could do with some food."

Hermione was about to approach Professor Lupin but the female stranger stop her. "I wouldn't do that if I were you, Professor Lupin needs his rest." Hermione was about to say something but the stranger pulled down her hood and showed that she was serious about what she said. Hermione just sat back down and so did the girl. "By the way my name is Raven Pyro and this is my brother Kyle Pyro, I'll be going to school with you three. Oh, before you ask I can tell that you're all in Gryffindor and 3rd year as well." She said as her brother Kyle handed her six Licorice Wands, five Cauldron Cakes, four Chocolate Frogs, three Pumpkin Pasties, two Drooble's Best Blowing Gum, and one Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans. The Pyro siblings and professor Lupin may not be very good company but Professor Lupin's presence in their compartment had its uses. Midafternoon, just as it had started to rain, blurring the rolling hills outside the window, they heard footsteps in the corridor again, and their three least favorite people appeared at the door: Draco Malfoy, flanked by his cronies, Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle.

Draco Malfoy and Harry had been enemies ever since they had met on their very first train journey to Hogwarts. Malfoy, who had a pale, pointed, sneering face, was in Slytherin House; he played Seeker on the Slytherin Quidditch team, the same position that Harry played on the Gryffindor team. Crabbe and Goyle seemed to exist to do Malfoy's bidding. They were both wide and musclely; Crabbe was taller, with a pudding-bowl haircut and a very thick neck; Goyle had short, bristly hair and long, gorilla-ish arms.

"Well, look who it is," said Malfoy in his usual lazy drawl, pulling open the compartment door. "Potty and the Weasel." Crabbe and Goyle chuckled trollishly. "I heard your father finally got his hands on some gold this summer, Weasley," said Malfoy. "Did your mother die of shock?" Ron stood up so quickly he knocked Crookshanks's cage to the floor. Professor Lupin gave a snort. "Who is that?" Malfoy asked as he took a step towards Professor Lupin but stopped when a wand was placed at his neck.

"I suggest you and your ape like friends turn around and leave before you get a face full of dragon dung! Do you understand Baka?" Said Raven as she glared at him with such hatred that it surprised everyone in the compartment except for the sleeping professor. "New teacher," said Harry, who got to his feet, too, in case he needed to hold Ron back. "What were you saying, Malfoy?" Malfoy looked between the wand at his throat to Harry and Ron who looked ready to fight him, but he was more worried over the wand at his throat and the threat that the girl had given him if he and his friends didn't leave. "Fine! We'll leave but this isn't over Weasel, Scar head!" he said as he turned around to leave when something or someone kick him. "Oh this is over Baka and if you come anywhere near me, my brother or my friends you'll get more than a kick to your arse do you understand me!" Raven said with pure power coming off her. Malfoy looked at her and turned ghost white while nodding his head then he got up and ran out of the compartment with his trolls fallowing him.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Raven and Kyle Pyro as well as the phoenix.

Thank you for reading!

Harry and Ron sat down again, Ron massaging his knuckles. "Thanks Raven for sticking up for me, Harry, and my family." Ron said as he shook Raven's hand. "No problem Ron, but really I was making sure he didn't do anything to my godfather, who needs his rest." Raven said as she looked towards Professor Lupin with a smile. Then she summoned a blanket from nowhere and laid it on him. "Oh and Ron I would get rid of the rat as soon as possible. Something about it seems strange. I'm just saying that an owl would make a better pet than a rat." Raven said this while looking at the rat in question, noticing that it was missing a toe and how fat it was. _'Hmm I wonder if I could test my theory... if my theory is right than Uncle Sirius is innocent of all charges. And from the memories Remus has showed me that rat in Ron's hand is Wormtail!'_ Raven's thoughts were intruped by Ron.

"I'm not going to take any crap from Malfoy this year," he said angrily. "I mean it. If he makes one more crack about my family, I'm going to get hold of his head and —" Ron made a violent gesture in midair. "Ron," hissed Hermione, pointing at Professor Lupin, "be _careful_..." But Professor Lupin was still fast asleep. The rain thickened as the train sped yet farther north; the windows were now a solid, shimmering gray, which gradually darkened until lanterns flickered into life all along the corridors and over the luggage racks. The train rattled, the rain hammered, the wind roared, but still, Professor Lupin slept. "We must be nearly there," said Ron, leaning forward to look past Professor Lupin at the now completely black window. The words had hardly left him when the train started to slow down. "Great," said Ron, getting up and walking carefully past Professor Lupin to try and see outside. "I'm starving. I want to get to the feast. . . ." "We can't be there yet," said Hermione, checking her watch. "So why're we stopping?" The train was getting slower and slower. As the noise of the pistons fell away, the wind and rain sounded louder than ever against the windows. Harry, who was nearest the door, got up to look into the corridor. All along the carriage, heads were sticking curiously out of their compartments. The train came to a stop with a jolt, and distant thuds and bangs told them that luggage had fallen out of the racks. Then, without warning, all the lamps went out and they were plunged into total darkness.

"What's going on?" said Ron's voice from behind Harry. "Ouch!" gasped Hermione. "Ron, that was my foot!" Harry felt his way back to his seat. "D'you think we've broken down?" "Dunno..." There was a squeaking sound, and Harry saw the dim black outline of Ron, wiping a patch clean on the window and peering out. "There's something moving out there," Ron said. "I think something is coming aboard..." The compartment door suddenly opened and someone fell painfully over Harry's legs. "Sorry... d'you know what's going on?... Ouch... sorry..." "Hullo, Neville," said Harry, feeling around in the dark and pulling Neville up by his cloak. "Harry? Is that you? What's happening?" "No idea. Sit down." When Neville went to sit down he almost sat on Kyle Pyro. "Hey watch where you sit, Longbottom." Kyle used his wand to enlarge the compartment so there was more room for everyone. "I'm going to go and ask the driver what's going on," came Hermione's voice. Harry felt her pass him, heard the door slide open again, and then a thud and two loud squeals of pain. "Who's that?" "Who's that?" "Ginny?" "Hermione?" "What are you doing?" "I was looking for Ron..." "Come in and sit down..." "Not here!" said Harry hurriedly. "I'm here!" "Ouch!" said Neville. "Quiet!" said a hoarse voice suddenly. Professor Lupin appeared to have woken up at last. Harry could hear movements in his corner. None of them spoke. There was a soft, crackling noise, and a shivering light filled the compartment. Professor Lupin appeared to be holding a handful of flames. They illuminated his tired, gray face, but his eyes looked alert and wary. "Stay where you are," he said in the same hoarse voice, and he got slowly to his feet with his handful of fire held out in front of him. "Kyle, Raven take out your wands and be ready." Remus said as he looked at his godchildren. Kyle and Raven then realized what was coming on to the train and pulled out their wands holding them at the ready.

But the door slid slowly open before Lupin could reach it. Standing in the doorway, illuminated by the shivering flames in Lupin's hand, was a cloaked figure that towered to the ceiling. Its face was completely hidden beneath its hood. Harry's eyes darted downward, and what he saw made his stomach contract. There was a hand protruding from the cloak and it was glistening, grayish, slimy-looking, and scabbed, like something dead that had decayed in water... But it was visible only for a split second. As though the creature beneath the cloak sensed Harry's gaze, the hand was suddenly withdrawn into the folds of its black cloak. And then the thing beneath the hood, whatever it was, drew a long, slow, rattling breath, as though it were trying to suck something more than air from its surroundings. An intense cold swept over them all. Harry felt his own breath catch in his chest. Raven noticed that the dementor was getting ready to perform the 'Kiss' on Harry, so she raised her wand and cried out " _EXPECTO PATRONUM_!" Then all of a sudden a huge wolf appeared and attacked it. The dementor gave a cry of pain then it exploded to nothing. Raven put down her wand turn around to check on Harry to see him looking at her with shock in his emerald green eyes. Then Raven heard a scream inside her head that was familiar to her and everything went black.

Harry watched as Raven's eyes rolled up into her head and falling to the ground. Then he saw Kyle catch her before she hit her head. Harry's eyes rolled up into his head. He couldn't see. He was drowning in cold. There was a rushing in his ears as though of water. He was being dragged downward, the roaring growing louder... And then, from far away, he heard screaming, terrible, terrified, pleading screams. He wanted to help whoever it was, he tried to move his arms, but couldn't... a thick white fog was swirling around him, inside him. "Harry! Harry! Are you all right?" Someone was slapping his face. "W — what?" Harry opened his eyes; there were lanterns above him, and the floor was shaking the Hogwarts Express was moving again and the lights had come back on. He seemed to have slid out of his seat onto the floor. Ron and Hermione were kneeling next to him, and above them he could see Neville and Professor Lupin watching. Harry felt very sick; when he put up his hand to push his glasses back on, he felt cold sweat on his face. Harry looked around and saw that Raven was still unconscious.

Ron and Hermione heaved him back onto his seat. "Are you okay?" Ron asked nervously. "Yeah," said Harry, looking quickly toward the door. The hooded creature had vanished. "What happened? Where's that thing? What's wrong with Raven?" Harry looked around the bright compartment. Ginny and Neville looked back at him, both very pale. A loud snap made them all jump. Professor Lupin was breaking an enormous slab of chocolate into pieces. "Here," he said to Harry, handing him a particularly large piece. "Eat it. It'll help." Harry took the chocolate but didn't eat it. "What was that thing?" he asked Lupin. "A dementor," said Lupin, who was now giving chocolate to everyone else. "One of the dementors of Azkaban." Everyone stared at him. Professor Lupin crumpled up the empty chocolate wrapper and put it in his pocket. "Eat," he repeated. "It'll help. I need to speak to the driver, excuse me..." He strolled past Harry and disappeared into the corridor. "Are you sure you're okay, Harry?" said Hermione, watching Harry anxiously. "I don't get it... What happened to Raven?" said Harry, wiping more sweat off his face. Harry looked to his friends but none of them knew the answer so he turned to look at Kyle; who was sitting next to Raven's head holding a wash cloth to her forehead. "Yes Harry I know you want to know what happened to my little sister. So I will tell you five but you have to swear that whatever I tell you doesn't leave this compartment and whatever happened in this compartment from that attack stays between us eight understand?" Kyle said.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Raven and Kyle Pyro and Raven's Poenix.

 _(Flash Back)_

 _When it was two weeks before my forth birthday I found out my mother was pregnant. I also found out that my father was an evil wizard. So me and my mom ran from him for two years straight, my mother was always looking out for me and my sister. We came out of hiding when the Dark Lord was beaten. It was another three years later when a few Death Eaters found my mother walking down a street towards our home. Well she ran while shooting spells, jinks, and curses at them; when she got to the door she ran in and told me and my sister to hide. I had just closed the closet door when the death eaters blasted open the front door, they started to duel with our mother. Me and Raven watched as our mother took down all of them except one. He threw a cutting curse at our mother and it hit her right leg the death eater stood over her laughing. Raven being four years old didn't know what was happening all she knew was that the man was hurting our mother. Before I could stop her, she ran out of the closet and straight to our mother yelling at the man to stop hurting our mother. The man just stood there looking at my sister like she was nothing. The death eater raised his wand at Raven and started to cast the killing curse when my mother pulled Raven behind her and took the curse while yelling my sister's name. I saw Raven start to cry as the green light of the curse hit our mother. I still don't know what happened but I guess it was some type of accidental magic, but as my sister cried the death eater started to scream in pain then he burst into dust; there was no blood, nothing was left just dust. Then my sister fell to the ground asleep. After that I swore that my sister would never see that again._

 _(End Flash Back)_

Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and Neville were looking at Kyle in shock when movement from the seat next to Kyle startled them. They all looked at Raven as she started to twist and turn as though she was under the torture curse. Then all of a sudden she sat up looking around the compartment. "What happened?" Raven asked as she started to shake. Just then Professor Lupin came back in and handed Raven a full chocolate bar. "Thank you Uncle Moo... I mean Professor Lupin." Raven said as she ate the chocolate. "That's all right Raven. Well how are you feeling Harry?" He asked as he sat down. "We'll be at Hogwarts in ten minutes." Harry didn't ask how Professor Lupin knew his name. "Fine," he muttered, embarrassed. They didn't talk much during the remainder of the journey. At long last, the train stopped at Hogsmeade station, and there was a great scramble to get outside; owls hooted, cats meowed, and Neville's pet toad croaked loudly from under his hat. It was freezing on the tiny platform; rain was driving down in icy sheets.

"Firs' years this way!" called a familiar voice. Harry, Ron, and Hermione turned and saw the gigantic outline of Hagrid at the other end of the platform, beckoning the terrified-looking new students forward for their traditional journey across the lake. "All righ', you three?" Hagrid yelled over the heads of the crowd. They waved at him, but had no chance to speak to him because the mass of people around them was shunting them away along the platform. Harry, Ron, and Hermione followed the rest of the school along the platform and out onto a rough mud track, where at least a hundred stagecoaches awaited the remaining students, each pulled, Harry could only assume, by an invisible horse, because when they climbed inside and shut the door, the coach set off all by itself, bumping and swaying in procession.

The coach smelled faintly of mold and straw. Harry felt better since the chocolate, but still weak. Ron and Hermione kept looking at him sideways, as though frightened he might collapse again. As the carriage trundled toward a pair of magnificent wrought iron gates, flanked with stone columns topped with winged boars, Harry saw two more towering, hooded dementors, standing guard on either side. A wave of cold sickness threatened to engulf him again; he leaned back into the lumpy seat and closed his eyes until they had passed the gates. The carriage picked up speed on the long, sloping drive up to the castle; Hermione was leaning out of the tiny window, watching the many turrets and towers draw nearer. At last, the carriage swayed to a halt, and Hermione and Ron got out. As Harry stepped down, a drawling, delighted voice sounded in his ear.

"You _fainted,_ Potter? Is Longbottom telling the truth? You actually _fainted_?" Malfoy elbowed past Hermione to block Harry's way up the stone steps to the castle, his face gleeful and his pale eyes glinting maliciously.

"Shove off, Malfoy," said Ron, whose jaw was clenched.

"Did you faint as well, Weasley?" said Malfoy loudly. "Did the scary old dementor frighten you too, Weasley?" Then suddenly there was a giggle behide Malfoy and when he turned he saw Raven standing there with her brother.

"Now Malfoy I hope you didn't forget my threat of bothering my friends, cause I would hate to have to break a rule on my first visit to Hogwarts." Raven said in a sweet voice and a smile that said 'I dare you'.

"Is there a problem?" said a mild voice. Professor Lupin had just gotten out of the next carriage. Malfoy gave Professor Lupin an insolent stare, which took in the patches on his robes and the delapidated suitcase. With a tiny hint of sarcasm in his voice, he said, "Oh, no — er — _Professor,_ " then he smirked at Crabbe and Goyle and led them up the steps into the castle. Hermione prodded Ron in the back to make him hurry, and the three of them joined the crowd swarming up the steps, through the giant oak front doors, into the cavernous entrance hall, which was lit with flaming torches, and housed a magnificent marble staircase that led to the upper floors. The door into the Great Hall stood open at the right; Harry followed the crowd toward it, but had barely glimpsed the enchanted ceiling, which was black and cloudy tonight, when a voice called, "Potter! Granger! I want to see you both!" Harry and Hermione turned around, surprised. Professor McGonagall, Transfiguration teacher and head of Gryffindor House, was calling over the heads of the crowd. She was a stern looking witch who wore her hair in a tight bun; her sharp eyes were framed with square spectacles. Harry fought his way over to her with a feeling of foreboding: Professor McGonagall had a way of making him feel he must have done something wrong. "There's no need to look so worried — I just want a word in my office," she told them. "Move along there, Weasley." Ron stared as Professor McGonagall ushered Harry and Hermione away from the chattering crowd; they accompanied her across the entrance hall, up the marble staircase, and along a corridor.

Once they were in her office, a small room with a large, welcoming fire, Professor McGonagall motioned Harry and Hermione to sit down. She settled herself behind her desk and said abruptly, "Professor Lupin sent an owl ahead to say that you were taken ill on the train, Potter." Before Harry could reply, there was a soft knock on the door and Madam Pomfrey, the nurse, came bustling in. Harry felt himself going red in the face. It was bad enough that he'd passed out, or whatever he had done, without everyone making all this fuss. "I'm fine," he said, "I don't need anything —"

"Oh, it's you, is it?" said Madam Pomfrey, ignoring this and bending down to stare closely at him. "I suppose you've been doing something dangerous again?"

"It was a dementor, Poppy," said Professor McGonagall. They exchanged a dark look, and Madam Pomfrey clucked disapprovingly.

"Setting dementors around a school," she muttered, pushing back Harry's hair and feeling his forehead. "He won't be the last one who collapses. Yes, he's all clammy. Terrible things, they are, and the effect they have on people who are already delicate —"

"I'm not delicate!" said Harry crossly.

"Of course you're not," said Madam Pomfrey absentmindedly, now taking his pulse.

"What does he need?" said Professor McGonagall crisply. "Bed rest? Should he perhaps spend tonight in the hospital wing?"

"I'm _fine_!" said Harry, jumping up. The thought of what Draco Malfoy would say if he had to go to the hospital wing was torture.

"Well, he should have some chocolate, at the very least," said Madam Pomfrey, who was now trying to peer into Harry's eyes.

"I've already had some," said Harry. "Professor Lupin gave me some. He gave it to all of us."

"Did he, now?" said Madam Pomfrey approvingly. "So we've finally got a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher who knows his remedies?"


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Raven and Kyle Pyro and Raven's Poenix.

"Are you sure you feel all right, Potter?" Professor McGonagall said sharply.

" _Yes_ ," said Harry.

"Very well. Kindly wait outside while I have a quick word with Miss Granger about her course schedule, then we can go down to the feast together." Harry went back into the corridor with Madam Pomfrey, who left for the hospital wing, muttering to herself. He had to wait only a few minutes; then Hermione emerged looking very happy about something, followed by Professor McGonagall, and the three of them made their way back down the marble staircase to the Great Hall.

It was a sea of pointed black hats; each of the long House tables was lined with students, their faces glimmering by the light of thousands of candles, which were floating over the tables in midair. Professor Flitwick, who was a tiny little wizard with a shock of white hair, was carrying an ancient hat and a three-legged stool out of the hall. "Oh," said Hermione softly, "we've missed the Sorting!"

New students at Hogwarts were sorted into Houses by trying on the Sorting Hat, which shouted out the House they were best suited to. Professor McGonagall strode off toward her empty seat at the staff table, and Harry and Hermione set off in the other direction, as quietly as possible, toward the Gryffindor table. People looked around at them as they passed along the back of the hall, and a few of them pointed at Harry. Had the story of his collapsing in front of the dementor traveled that fast? He and Hermione sat down on either side of Ron, who had saved them seats.

"What was all that about?" he muttered to Harry. Harry started to explain in a whisper, but at that moment the headmaster stood up to speak, and he broke off. Professor Dumbledore, though very old, always gave an impression of great energy. He had several feet of long silver hair and beard, half-moon spectacles, and an extremely crooked nose. He was often described as the greatest wizard of the age, but that wasn't why Harry respected him. You couldn't help trusting Albus Dumbledore, and as Harry watched him beaming around at the students, he felt really calm for the first time since the dementor had entered the train compartment.

"Welcome!" said Dumbledore, the candlelight shimmering on his beard. "Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! I have a few things to say to you all, and as one of them is very serious, I think it best to get it out of the way before you become befuddled by our excellent feast. . . ." Dumbledore cleared his throat and continued, "As you will all be aware after their search of the Hogwarts Express, our school is presently playing host to some of the dementors of Azkaban, who are here on Ministry of Magic business." He paused, and Harry remembered what Mr. Weasley had said about Dumbledore not being happy with the dementors guarding the school. "They are stationed at every entrance to the grounds," Dumbledore continued, "and while they are with us, I must make it plain that nobody is to leave school without permission. Dementors are not to be fooled by tricks or disguises — or even Invisibility Cloaks," he added blandly, and Harry and Ron glanced at each other. "It is not in the nature of a dementor to understand pleading or excuses. I therefore warn each and every one of you to give them no reason to harm you. I look to the prefects, and our new Head Boy and Girl, to make sure that no student runs afoul of the dementors," he said.

Percy, who was sitting a few seats down from Harry, puffed out his chest again and stared around impressively. Dumbledore paused again; he looked very seriously around the hall, and nobody moved or made a sound. "On a happier note," he continued, "I am pleased to welcome two new teachers to our ranks this year. First, Professor Lupin, who has kindly consented to fill the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. He will also be assisted by his godson Kyle." There was some scattered, rather unenthusiastic applause. Only those who had been in the compartment on the train with Professor Lupin clapped hard, Harry among them. Professor Lupin looked particularly shabby next to all the other teachers in their best robes. "Look at Snape!" Ron hissed in Harry's ear. Professor Snape, the Potions master, was staring along the staff table at Professor Lupin. It was common knowledge that Snape wanted the Defense Against the Dark Arts job, but even Harry, who hated Snape, was startled at the expression twisting his thin, sallow face. It was beyond anger: it was loathing. Harry knew that expression only too well; it was the look Snape wore every time he set eyes on Harry.

"As to our second new appointment," Dumbledore continued as the lukewarm applause for Professor Lupin died away. "Well, I am sorry to tell you that Professor Kettleburn, our Care of Magical Creatures teacher, retired at the end of last year in order to enjoy more time with his remaining limbs. However, I am delighted to say that his place will be filled by none other than Rubeus Hagrid, who has agreed to take on this teaching job in addition to his

gamekeeping duties."

Harry, Ron, and Hermione stared at one another, stunned. Then they joined in with the applause, which was tumultuous at the Gryffindor table in particular. Harry leaned forward to see Hagrid, who was ruby-red in the face and staring down at his enormous hands, his wide grin hidden in the tangle of his black beard.

"We should've known!" Ron roared, pounding the table. "Who else would have assigned us a biting book?" Harry, Ron, and Hermione were the last to stop clapping, and as Professor Dumbledore started speaking again, they saw that Hagrid was wiping his eyes on the tablecloth.

"Well, I think that's everything of importance," said Dumbledore. "Let the feast begin!"

The golden plates and goblets before them filled suddenly with food and drink. Harry, suddenly ravenous, helped himself to everything he could reach and began to eat. It was a delicious feast; the hall echoed with talk, laughter, and the clatter of knives and forks. Harry, Ron, and Hermione, however, were eager for it to finish so that they could talk to Hagrid. They knew how much being made a teacher would mean to him. Hagrid wasn't a fully qualified wizard; he had been expelled from Hogwarts in his third year for a crime he had not committed. It had been Harry, Ron, and Hermione who had cleared Hagrid's name last year. At long last, when the last morsels of pumpkin tart had melted from the golden platters, Dumbledore gave the word that it was time for them all to go to bed, and they got their chance. "Congratulations, Hagrid!" Hermione squealed as they reached the teachers' table.

"All down ter you three," said Hagrid, wiping his shining face on his napkin as he looked up at them. "Can' believe it... great man, Dumbledore... came straight down to me hut after Professor Kettleburn said he'd had enough... It's what I always wanted..." Overcome with emotion, he buried his face in his napkin, and Professor McGonagall shooed them away.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione joined the Gryffindors streaming up the marble staircase and, very tired now, along more corridors, up more and more stairs, to the hidden entrance to Gryffindor Tower. A large portrait of a fat lady in a pink dress asked them, "Password?"

"Coming through, coming through!" Percy called from behind the crowd. "The new password's 'Fortuna Major'!"

"Oh no," said Neville Longbottom sadly. He always had trouble remembering the passwords. Through the portrait hole and across the common room, the girls and boys divided toward their separate staircases. Harry climbed the spiral stair with no thought in his head except how glad he was to be back. They reached their familiar, circular dormitory with its five four-poster beds, and Harry, looking around, felt he was home at last.

When Harry, Ron, and Hermione entered the Great Hall for breakfast the next day, the first thing they saw was Draco Malfoy, who seemed to be entertaining a large group of Slytherins with a very funny story. As they passed, Malfoy did a ridiculous impression of a swooning fit and there was a roar of laughter. "Ignore him," said Hermione, who was right behind Harry. "Just ignore him, it's not worth it..."

"Hey, Potter!" shrieked Pansy Parkinson, a Slytherin girl with a face like a pug. "Potter! The dementors are coming, Potter! _Woooooooo_!" Harry dropped into a seat at the Gryffindor table, next to George Weasley.

"New third-year course schedules," said George, passing them over. "What's up with you, Harry?" They had just looked down at their schedules when they heard Malfoy and Pansy start to scream. They looked up in time to see them get chased out of the Great Hall by a black wolf with red stripes in it's fur. About five minutes later Raven came in laughing, she looked around and came over to Harry, Hermione, and the Weasley brothers. "Man that was funny." She said while laughing. She noticed that Harry, Hermione, and the Weasley brothers were looking at her. "What?"

"What kind of wolf was that? I've never seen or heard of one with red stripes..." commented Hermione as she pulled out a book on animals. Raven looked at the book and then shook her head. "You'll never find that kind of wolf in that book or any book for that matter. That was a shadow wolf with red stripes." Raven said as she took an apple then got up and left the great hall.

Hermione looked at Harry then at the Weasley brothers, "What does she mean? Why can't I find any information on that wolf?" She asked as she still opened the book to look through it.

George was the one to answer her, "It's because there's no books on shadow wolves, no one has been able to study them. Shadow wolves are so rare that their not seen by wizards because about five thousand years ago shadow wolves along with shadow panthers, lions, and hawks were hunted by wizards." George said as he had watched Raven leave the great hall.

Hermione looked at George, "Then how does Raven know what it was and how is there one here in the school?" she asked as she turned to look at where Raven left.

George looked at Hermione, "Well there's only one real answer. The shadow wolf must have been an animagus just like Professor McGonagall." He explained as he put down his fork and got up to head to class with his twin.

Once the twins left Hermione looked at Harry and Ron, "Do you think that the shadow wolf was Raven?"

Harry looked at her, "I'm not sure but you could always ask her." he said as then took a bite of his breakfast.

Ron just looked confused, "I'm not sure either. I mean isn't it hard to become an animagus? I'm pretty sure that a thirteen year old girl wouldn't be able to get all of the things needed." he said before stuffing his mouth full of food.


End file.
